Alf has never been an enthusiast for daylight saving. Among other considerations, it requires him to alter his household clocks twice a year, a tiresome chore which challenges his manual dexterity, and he finds it disconcerting to be headed for the club for a few snorts when it seems there is ample daylight for another hour or two for outdoor activities.

Thus he is delighted to find another good economic argument against daylight saving.

He was already aware of research showing daylight saving results in increased energy usage, something that should have become a matter of concern for the bloody Greens, you would think.

Now he can draw his constituents’ attention to research which suggests that people “cyberloaf” – websurf instead of working – more when they are tired. This in turn can be related to daylight saving.

Alf will be bringing the costs of daylight saving to the attention of The Boss and our Ministers of Finance and Labour and will be raising his concerns with the Productivity Commission.

He was alerted to the research on cyberloafing by a post on the Freakonomics website.